Thirty-five organs organized into a hierarchical system defined the craniographic approach championed by Johann Spurzheim. Born in Longuich in 1776, the Prussian physician spent his career expanding the study of phrenology, a field he entered as an assistant to Franz Joseph Gall at the University of Vienna starting in 1800.
Collaboration and Divergence
Spurzheim first met Gall in 1800. For over a decade, the two worked closely, with Gall appointing Spurzheim as his successor and including him as a co-author on various medical publications. Their professional partnership dissolved in 1812. Following this split, Spurzheim pursued an independent career. He lectured throughout Europe and authored works defining what he termed the Physiognomical System of Drs Gall and Spurzheim, further popularising the discipline in France and England.
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Phrenology faced significant medical scrutiny during the early 19th century. In 1815, Dr. John Gordon published an article in the Edinburgh Review that challenged the validity of the work conducted by Gall and Spurzheim. Seeking to defend his research, Spurzheim traveled to Edinburgh in 1816. He utilized tools such as busts and anatomical images to demonstrate his craniographic methods and argue against the points raised by his critics.
Final Tour and Legacy
Spurzheim arrived in Boston for a lecture tour in 1832. His time in the city ended abruptly when he contracted typhoid and died later that year at the age of 56. Following his death, his brain, skull, and heart were preserved in alcohol for display. He was interred at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where a monument was erected in his honor. His publication titled Philosophical Catechism of the Natural Laws of Man was released posthumously in 1833.
Fast facts
- Born: 1776, Longuich
- Died: 1832, Boston
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Prussia
- Occupations: Physician, psychologist, physiologist
- Primary Fields: Medicine, phrenology
- Burial Site: Mount Auburn Cemetery
- Languages: English, French
Questions readers ask
Who did Johann Spurzheim work with initially?
He began his career as an assistant to Franz Joseph Gall in 1800.
What specific phrenological changes did Spurzheim introduce?
He increased the number of organs in the system and rearranged them into a hierarchical structure.
Why did he travel to Edinburgh in 1816?
He went there to refute an article written by Dr. John Gordon that challenged the credibility of phrenology.
Achievements
- Fields: medicine and phrenology
